Dizzy Spells Aren’t All That Magical

Good Morning! What has the weekend got in line for you?

This piece is all about vertigo - that seemingly intangible debilitating symptom that sufferers find hard to describe and practitioners find tricky to identify a cause of. The challenge here is that vertigo is caused by a number of possible related conditions and a few other unrelated ones. I think the best description you could use to paint a picture of what it is like to be spinning with vertigo is that is somewhat a cross between the end result of an intensely spinning carnival ride, morning sickness or a bad hangover and relentless fatigue. If you have experienced any or all of those, pop that experience into a blender and put it on high and you have vertigo.

Imagine having that night and day for weeks, months and even years! Needless to say a person suffering with vertigo is rarely a happy chappy.

Some of the most common causes of vertigo in no order of frequency are:

2. Fluctuations in blood glucose levels - rule this one out by having some food - if the dizziness settles you may have to investigate your blood glucose tolerance with your medical practitioner.

3. Alterations in blood pressure - if you find you mostly get dizzy from change of posture (mainly from sitting or lying to standing) you may have postural hypotension. This can be also checked and confirmed by your doctor. Often this is impacted by a sluggish return of blood from the bottom of your body to the top (head/heart) which can be remedied by circulatory stimulants like ginger, cayenne, chilli, turmeric, hawthorn berries and cinnamon amongst a few. It can also be due to low protein/sodium volume in the blood so upping the ante on these.

4. Head and ear injuries can result in residual vertigo years after the initial event. These may need to be specifically addressed on an individual basis.

5. Ear infections, viruses and gut bugs can all contribute to some dizziness either severe or mild. Post viral symptoms can include residual vertigo meaning that long after the virus is gone, the effects of the infection may be still active. I have a specific post viral program for this I implement, so call us on 55939145 to arrange an appointment to address it.

6. Menopausal hormone fluctuations are also a possible cause of some dizziness - combined with adrenal stress hormone production - oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone all exert an impact on fluid balance. Calming herbs like passionflower, hops, marigold and zizyphus can all help to reduce the effects of these symptoms. Homeopathic remedies like Belladonna, Glonoine and Cocculus can be quite profoundly helpful too.

Remember - when the world is spinning around you but you are standing still, take this as a sign you may need to rest (as in now!), nourish, reset and take care of your immune system and have an aligning, calming and structurally sound massage!

As a naturopath I believe that patients are looking for empathy, results oriented and achievable health advice as well as consideration for the family budget when it comes to supplement and remedy selection.Nicky Wood -Gold Coast Naturopath